The MC's backstory of being an orphan who learned to set up stalls and hawk goods by age four really explains her current behavior. She didn't grow up with love or security, so she's not going to instantly trust her new family or get emotional about reunions. She's pragmatic because she had to be. That kind of consistent characterization from backstory to present actions is good writing.
The pacing at the beginning felt a bit slow—the bus ride and job search dragged a little—but the moment she walks into the funeral home, the story takes off. From the hot pot incident to the corpse running away to the ghost gathering, it's one wild scene after another. I didn't even notice how fast I was reading.
Butler Zhou is a fantastic antagonist figure so far. He’s so stiff and formal, and he clearly looks down on the protagonist’s small-town life. The way he acts like returning to the Zhou family is the greatest honor imaginable is both amusing and infuriating. I love how the protagonist immediately deflates his ego by just politely asking if they’re eating dinner. It completely throws off Butler Zhou’s dramatic energy. Very satisfying.
The relationship between Su Xun and his sister feels like the heart of the story. It’s not just about cultivation; it’s about family loyalty. He doesn’t want to disappoint her, and she’s willing to sacrifice for him. That emotional bond gives the action stakes. Without it, the story would just be another power grind. Here, every breakthrough matters because it’s for someone else, not just himself.